Selective color ink feeding system for rotary printing presses



Jan. 18, 1966 E. w. WORTHINGTON ETAL 3,229,630

SELECTIVE COLOR INK FEEDING SYSTEM FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Nov. 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 V1 H .mmm R T Om T Tlwm HG ETN RA m W A W D W YE mm A M E E ATTORNEYS 13, 1965 E. w. WORTHiNGTON ETAL 3,229,630

SELECTIVE COLOR INK FEEDING SYSTEM FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Nov. 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 &\\\\\\ WY,

FIG. lb

INVENTOR. EMORY W. WORTH! NGTON JAMES R. LANGWORTHY EARL EDWARD BRITTON BY al mu! $011117 4% "-M "A? 7 A TTOR NE S 1956 E. w. WORTHINGTON ETAL 3, ,630

SELECTIVE COLOR INK FEEDING SYSTEM FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Nov. 50, 1962 3 SheetsSheet 5 INVENTOR EMORY W. WORTHINGTON JAMES R. LANGWORTHY EARL EDWARD BRITTON ATTORNEYS United States Patent R 3,229,630 SELECTIVE COLOR INK FEEDING SYSTEM FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Emory W. Worthington, Ridgewood, James R. Langworthy, Clinton, and Earl Edward Britton, Plainfield, N.J., assignors to Wood Newspaper Machinery Corporation, Plainfield, N.J., a corporation of Virginia Filed Nov. 3!), 1962, Ser. No. 241,262 4 Claims. (Cl. 101210) The present invention relates to ink feeding systems for rotary type printing presses and more particularly the invention relates to a novel means for converting from the printing of black ink to color ink of selected page-width portions of the fountain roll of multi-page printing presses.

Printing presses used in printing newspapers are designed to simultaneously print a plurality of parallel pagewidths and are normally four plates or pages in width. While such machines normally print black ink on all four page-widths, certain runs of the press may require the printing of color ink on one or more page-widths. When it is desired that a multi-page press print page-widths in color, it is necessary to convert the ink supply of the selected pages to color while at the same time ensuring that an adequate supply of black ink reaches the pagewidths which are to continue to be printed in black. After the color ink runs have been completed, the press must then be converted back to printing black ink on all pages.

Prior art mechanisms heretofore used for accomplishing proper conversion from black ink to color ink have many disadvantages and weaknesses. For example, in one conventional method of converting to color, the color ink supply tanks are positioned at the sides of the press between the roll ends and the side guards. Since these tanks are remotely located from the inner page-Widths, long pipes must be used to supply page-widths at or near the center of the fountain roll. This system has been found to be unsatisfactory because of the problem of cleaning these pipes when converting the press to color.

The present invention permits the conversion of black ink to color ink and back to black ink in a different manner than the prior devices in that it provides a conversion unit positioned adjacent to the fountain roll page-width area desired to be converted thus overcoming the cleaning difficulties inherent in the prior devices. The conversion units are positioned within the space defined by the fountain roll and the press mist guards that enclose the black ink supply system.

A feature of the present invention is that the conversion units are detachably mounted and aligned with the individual page-widths selected to be converted to color. When the color run of the press is completed the unit is easily removed from the press and stored. If desired, conversion units may be mounted at each page-width.

The conversion units of the invention are adapted to be used in conjunction with fountain rolls which have separate ink compartments associated with each pagewidth that are capable of receiving black ink through the normal black ink supply system.

Broadly, the present invention comprises a detachable color ink conversion unit which includes a supplementary color ink container detachably mounted to the fountain blade mechanism, a conduit for selectively permitting ink to flow from the container to a page-wide fountain roll ink compartment, means for collecting color ink overflow and discharge from the fountain roll ink compartment, and pump means for transferring ink from the collecting means to the color ink container.

3,229,630 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 Reference is made to the following drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of our invention, in which:

FIGS. 1a and 1b, viewed together, are a side elevation view of the back of a printing press fountain roll with a color conversion unit mounted to serve one of the pagewide ink compartments;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken through line 22 of FIG. lb showing the fountain roll, the color ink hopper, the color ink tray, the pump rneans and the ink compartment.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it is seen that the printing press side frame 1 supports at both ends a fountain roll 2 and a pick-up roll 3 through axel bearing arrangements 4, 5, 6 and '7.

In the conventional newspaper press of the type here shown four ink compartments, A, B, C and D are positioned in a row along the side of fountain roll 2. These compartments are vertically boundaried by center divider 8 which is positioned at the center of the roll and is secured to the fountain blade mechanism frame support 9 and parallel frame members 10 and the compartments are also boundaried by vertical sector dividers 12. Scrap er blade assembly sections 13 are longitudinally positioned between the dividers and mounted in and protruding from the assembly sections are scraper blade sections 14. Sections 14 are secured in the assembly sections and urged toward the roll by lock tension devices 15. The ends of each scraper blade assembly section 13 are positioned; in slots on the sides of the dividers.

Black ink overflow from assembly section 13 drains down to a fountain collector trough 16 and thence to a drain pipe 17 where it is forced by pump means, not shown, through feed pipe 18, main manifold conduit 19 and individual compartment swivel spigots 20 into each compartment. The spigots serving compartments A, B and C are shown in discharge position while the spigot for compartment D is shown rotated to its retracted position.

A conversion unit in accordance with our invention is shown in the position to supply color ink to compartment D and includes a color ink hopper 21 mounted to the fountain blade mechanism by screw means 22. A hopper extension 23 extends down from color ink hopper 21 and leads into ink compartment D. A shut-off valve 24 is positioned in the hopper extension to regulate the flow of color ink to the compartment. Any suitable color ink container may be used, such as a hopper-shaped container shown, which may be detachably secured to the press frame through the fountain blade mechanism. The hopper is mounted above the ink compartment permitting the color ink to be supplied to the compartment by gravity feed.

Mounted on and integral with the hopper 21 is an eccentric impeller pump 26- having its intake connected to tray 25 through intake pipe 27 and its outlet dicharging into the bottom of the hopper through an outlet open ing '28. Strainer 29 is positioned in the tray and cleans the ink as it is pumped up to the hopper. Impeller pump 26 is driven through engagement of pump drive gear 30 and pinion gear 31 mounted on pump drive shaft 32 which in turn is driven by motor-gear reducer unit 33.

Compartments A, B, and C as shown in the figures do not have color conversion units associated with them and these compartments will usually be silenced or may, if desired, continue to print black ink while compartment D prints color ink. Black ink overflow from these compartments falls into the fountain collector trough 16 and after passing through screen 43, drains out pipe 17 to an ink pump, not shown, for redelivery to main conduit 19.

Color ink hopper 21 is secured to the fountain blade mechanism 41, as shown in FIG. 2, through screw knobs 22 and brace 34. Hopper 21 has a blister section 35 which extends through an opening 36 in the mist guard 37. Mist guard has a sliding panel 37a for closing-oif the opening 36 when the color conversion unit is removed fnom the press. The blister section permits the press operator to see the level of color ink in the hopper from a position behind the press. The ink contained in the hopper 21 drains to the ink compartment D through the hopper extension 23 when the shut-off valve 24 is opened.

Any suitable collecting-means may be positioned below the ink compartment for receiving color ink overflow and discharge from the compartment. As shown, a color ink tray 25 collects color ink overflow from the compartment. This portable collector tray placed on and supported by the black ink fountain trough accomplishes ink collection simply and efficiently. The tray width and length should provide a suflicient tray area for receiving substantially all ink overflow and discharge. The small amounts of color which necessarily escape the tray present no cleaning or contamination problems since they fall down into the black ink fountain collector trough and are quickly assimilated.

Color ink is returned to the hopper 21 by the pump 26 which has an intake pipe 27 and an outlet opening 28. The pump 26 has gear 30 which meshes with a pinion 31 mounted on pump drive shaft 32. The pump drive shaft 32 is positioned on the press frame and is driven by a motor-gear reducer unit 33 which is operated independently of the main press motors.

The scraper blade assembly section 13 of an ink compartment includes blade holder section 11 and scraper blade section 14. Blade holder section 11, as part of the assembly section, functions to receive, hold and control the scraper blade section 14. The blade holder and blade section are positioned in slots 38 formed in the sides of the dividers. Lock tension devices 15 are also mounted on the sides of the dividers and serve to secure the scraper blade holder 11 within slots 38 and as a result the scraper blade section 14 is urged into ink-sealing engagement with the rotatable fountain roll 2. Thus, each ink compartment is defined by the fountain roll 2, scraper blade assembly section 13 including protruding blade section 14, and the dividers positioned at the ends of the assembly section.

An ink pocket 39 is formed as either black or color ink is selectively fed into the compartment. The fountain roll then picks up a coat of ink as it rotates in a clockwise direction andthe thickness and uniformity of this ink coat is controlled by the setting of the fountain blade 40. Blade 40 and its blade control mechanism 41 are mounted on frame support 9 and the blade 40 is flexed by action of fulcrum 42 through control mechanism 41.

The color ink is poured into the color ink hopper through a blister spout built into the back of the hopper. This blister design permits the press operator to see the color ink level in the hopper and to judge accordingly the amount of color required initially and during the color run. The hopper and the tray of the conversion unit should have capacities sufficient to serve the color ink requirements of the page-width they serve. It has been found that a color ink hopper capable of holding one and a half gallons of ink is satisfactory for a conventional newspaper press and a collector tray having approximately the same volume as the hopper has been found .to be adequate.

In the operation of our invention, a printing press page-width may be converted from the printing of black ink .to the printing of color ink by using the following procedure.

The black ink supply to the selected page-wide ink compartment is stopped by shutting off valve 20a in swivel spigot 20. Black ink remaining in the compartment is then dumped by releasing lock tension devices 15 and withdrawing scraper blade section 14 from its ink-sealed contact with fountain roll 2.

After the compartment has been cleaned and tension devices re-set, the conversion unit is placed on the press by securing the hopper to the fountain blade mechanism by hand screw knobs 22 and resting the color collector tray on the fountain trough. The press operator then pours a suflicient amount of color ink into the hopper 21 to bring the ink up to a desired level which can be observed through the blister 35. Shut-off valve 24 is opened to permit a color ink to flow through the hopper extension 23 into the ink compartment which will then allow an ink pocket to be formed. The presses are then ready to resume operation. During the press run excess color ink, if any, overflowing from the compartment falls down to the color collector tray and is 'returned by pump to the hopper.

After the color run is complete and the main press has been stopped scraper blade section is released so as to discharge color ink from the ink compartment to the color ink tray. Valve 24 is closed, and color ink remaining in the tray is pumped back to the hopper by operating the motor-gear reducer unit driving the pump drive shaft. The conversion unit is then removed from the press and stored.

It is a feature of our invention that the pump drive shaft is driven independently of the main press drive units. The drive shaft has its own separately controlled motor-gear reducer unit. This independent operation permits pumping of ink from the color tray to the hopper for supplying ink to the compartment before commencing the press run and permits emptying of all color ink from the tray, including that discharged or dumped from the compartment, after the presses have completed printing the color run.

The present invention is particularly adapted for controlling the supply of color ink to high-speed rotary printing presses, where converting of selected page-widths is often required and a continuous supply of clean ink is particularly important due to necessity of preventing any down-time of the presses.

Another feature of the present invention is maintaining a supply of fresh and clean color ink to selected areas of the fountain roll through a recirculatory system which carries the ink through a filter positioned in the color col lector tray.

Since standard newspaper presses have web Widths which vary between 58 and 68 inches and since a pagewidth is usually one-quarter a web width, it is preferable that the conversion unit width be narrow enough to permit the units installation on any page-width of a standard newspaper press.

As used herein the tenm fcolor conversion and the description of changing a press from black to color ink, are intended broadly to include the changing or conversion of a press from the printing of one ink to the printing of another ink and then changing it back to printing of the first ink.

We claim:

1. A multi-page rotary type printing press having a fountain roll, separate ink retaining compartments associated with and adjoining each page-width of the roll, said ink retaining compartments formed by a plurality of scraper blade sections urged against said roll with a single section aligned with each page-width of the fountain roll, feed means for selectively feeding a primary supply of ink to each of said compartments, 2. primary ink supply collector means positioned below said compartments for collecting all primary ink discharged from said ink retaining compartments and a portable conversion unit positioned adjacent to and aligned with an ink retaining compartment for selectively supplying a secondary color ink to said compartment, said unit in turn comprising a secondary color ink container detachably mounted on the press for containing and discharging color ink into said selected page-width compartment, color ink collecting tray means detachably positioned below said compartment and over said primary ink supply means for collecting color ink overflow from said compartment, means for removing impurities from the ink as it is collected by said collecting means and pump means for transferring said color ink from said color ink collecting means to said ink container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the pump means is mounted on the ink container and having in addi tion a pump drive shaft extending parallel to said fountain roll in driving engagement with said pump means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in Wine said fountain roll is rotated in such a direction that the portion of the surface of said foutnain roll forming part of said ink retaining compartments is continuously moved past said scraped plate sections in an upward direction where- References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 397,091 1/1889 Mortimer 101356 X 1,983,987 12/1934 Morrison et al 101351 1,995,701 3/1935 Buttner 101365 X 2,649,758 8/1953 Cowgill 101-259 X 3,010,845 11/1961 Schornstheimer 118602 X 3,099,211 7/1963 Hilgoe et al 101-366 X ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Examiner. 

1. A MULTI-PAGE ROTARY TYPE PRINTING PRESS HAVING A FOUNTAIN ROLL, SEPARATE INK RETAINING COMPARTMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH AND ADJOINING EACH PAGE-WIDTH OF THE ROLL, SAID INK RETAINING COMPARTMENTS FORMED BY A PLURALITY OF SCRAPER BLADE SECTIONS URGED AGAINST SAID ROLL WITH A SINGLE SECTION ALIGNED WITH EACH PAGE-WIDTH OF THE FOUNTAIN ROLL, FEED MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY FEEDING A PRIMARY SUPPLY OF INK TO EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS, A PRIMARY INK SUPPLY COLLECTOR MEANS POSITIONED BELOW SAID COMPARTMENTS FOR COLLECTING ALL PRIMARY INK DISCHARGED FROM SAID INK RETAINING COMPARTMENTS AND A PORTABLE CONVERSION UNIT POSITIONED ADJACENT TO AND ALIGNED WITH AN INK RETAINING COMPARTMENT FOR SELECTIVELY SUPPLYING A SECONDARY COLOR INK TO SAID COMPARTMENT , SAID UNIT IN TURN COMPRISING A SECONDARY COLOR INK CONTAINER DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON THE PRESS FOR CONTAINING AND DISCHARGING COCLOR INK INTO SAID SELECTED PAGE-WIDTH COMPARTMENT, COLOR INK COLLECTING TRAY MEANS DETACHABLY POSITIONED BELOW SAID COMPARTMENT AND OVER SAID PRIMARY INK SUPPLY MEANS FOR COLLECTING COLOR INK OVERFLOW FROM SAID COMPARTMENT, 